Raphaela's Gift Read Online Free PDF Page A

choice, since he was trying to watch his cholesterol, but the meal was a pleasant change from what he'd been eating lately.
    He spent the rest of the evening in the room with Raphaela as he readied her for bed. Astonishingly, she handled the onslaught of activity well, with only a few momentary glitches that quickly smoothed themselves over. Nothing to justify packing up and going home.
    The cheery attitude of the camp staff--right down to the ladies serving the meals--had worn away the edge of his distrust. Still, he clung to what remained of his skepticism. To soften any more would leave him susceptible to bitter disappointment.
    Now, schedule gripped in hand, he read the room numbers posted on the corridor's walls, searching for Raphaela's first therapy room. Art therapy. A tinge of anticipation danced up his spine in spite of himself. Was Faith the only art therapist on staff? He couldn't recall, hadn't paid attention during the presentation last night.
    In a way, he hoped she wasn't. After how he'd treated her yesterday, he didn't know if he could work with her. Twenty-four hours had been ample time for his defenses to fall away, leaving him to see he'd definitely overreacted yesterday. But a small part of him still adhered to the notion he'd been justified. Raphaela had been hurt. And Faith had made an obvious error.
    Still, he knew he owed her an apology. Damn his mouth again.
    "Two twenty-five. Here we are. Art class." He hesitated before reaching for the doorknob. "Let's make a pretty picture, okay?" He turned the knob and opened the door, and two forced smiles greeted him when he looked into the room. Both Marian and Faith sat in child-sized chairs gathered around a steel-legged table. Faith stood and smoothed the creases from her calf-length dress.
    He stared at her as he stepped into the room, unable to tear his gaze away. She looked amazing, sheathed in that white dress with tiny pink flowers. It was feminine, with a ruffle rimming a neckline that was neither too low nor too high, and its color set off the golden hue of her skin and bright color of her eyes. When she yanked her gaze from his, he realized he'd been gawking.
    With forced casualness, he led Raphaela into the room. "Good morning, ladies." He pulled the door closed. The shocked expression on Marian's face made him shudder, and he instantly regretted how capably Marian read him. Obviously, his ogling was as plain to her as it had been to Faith.
    He pasted a sheepish grin on his face, knowing he was in for trouble. Marian wouldn't let his boyish stare-fest go unquestioned. Since their divorce, they'd formed a tenuous civility but she still acted sensitive about him dating. He guessed it had to do with her reluctance to see him happy.
    Until recently, her jealousy hadn't bothered him much. He didn't care what she thought. And he didn't have time to date, anyway. In three years, he'd gone on a few blind dates, but only when forced by well-meaning friends like Tom. Even then, when Marian had learned about his outings, she'd become irritable and angry.
    But here, with so many important matters to contend with, the last thing he needed was Marian's ridiculous jealousy.
    "Good morning, Ella," Marian said. Clearly avoiding eye-contact with Garret, she walked toward their daughter and stooped down. "I'm glad to see you!"
    Raphaela reacted with her usual averted eyes and walked past Marian to look at some paintings hanging on the wall.
    Marian finally looked at Garret, grimaced, and stood. "I need to speak with you for a moment." Turning, she said to Faith, "We'll be back in a few minutes," and motioned toward the corridor.
    Here we go . Following Marian from the studio, he braced himself for her verbal assault.
    "What was that all about?"
    Bingo. He forced a shocked expression, deciding to give denial a shake. "What was what all about?"
    "Come on, I'm not blind, Garret. I'm warning you, she's off limits."
    "Sure. Off limits. Of course, I'm going to listen to